The Complete Guide To Palletizing Cartons and Wrapping Techniques

May 14, 2014

When it comes to shipping a pallet, packing it correctly is absolutely vital. Remember that these pallets can weigh thousands of pounds, and done incorrectly can be extremely dangerous. Do it wrong, and you will have a disaster on your hands.

The Best & Safest Way To Palletize Cartons

Follow these instructions to ensure that your shipment is safely on the pallet. Try not to make the pallet larger than the material you are palletizing, otherwise it might not be secure enough. Ensure that when you purchase wooden pallets, they are fit for purpose, and in good condition. Recycled pallets are also available.

When you are stacking the items, you should make sure they are as close as possible together - this helps to ensure that they are fully secure for wrapping, and significantly reduces the danger from falling. It makes the pallet significantly more stable. You should aim to brace items against each other.

A great tip, before you start that will help make the wrapping easier is to place your pallet on top of some other wooden crates. This will make it easier to wrap, and stop you from having to bend over. This will mean you do a better job, and will make your pallet safer.

The Top Wrapping Techniques

Wrapping the carton on the pallet is a relatively simple, if not slightly time consuming task. It is best to take it slow to ensure that no mistakes are made.

Firstly, you need to get some shrink wrap roll. Get the wrap and peel a few feet of it out to start. Get a little bit (approximately 8 inches), and squeeze it together into a roll like shape. Take this shape that you have squeezed together and thread it through any corner of the pallet. Now hold this end (there is no need to tie it), while you fold out the rest of the roll.

Begin to wrap around the pallet base, make sure you do it in the same direction that you made the fold in. Wrap enough times to ensure that the plastic won't slip. Wrap around the base at least five times, allowing the edge of the wrap to go underneath the corners. Pull tight each time you go round a corner.

The basic aim is to ensure that there is no wobbling. Start from the bottom, and work your way up, but ensure that each new layer overlaps the one below it.

Once you have reached the top, check to see if the top of the pallet is loose or secure. If it wobbles at all, you need to work your way back down, stretching the troll tight as you do.

Once you have ensured that the stack is firm, you can tear the film from the roll. Now fold the the end under the edge of one of the wraps that is on the side of the pallet.

Now you should have successfully stacked a pallet, and wrapped so that it is safe, and secure for transport.